highplanesdrifters

Before you know it they will be charging extra for a bed and pillows.

Thanks Gary for that Covid info. CC Intelligentsia to the rescue. Google tells me it is only 900 meters from the Grand.

SLSD - I promise to start a Live thread and folks can join in if they are in the mood.  I'm holding back my initial aesthetic reservations until I see her in person. ;-).  We were on Silversea Muse last September and the thing I really disliked about the ship were the low ceilings and cave like atmosphere of most of the restaurants.   

"Dumb" is being kind.

15 hours ago, gary705 said:

High plane 

 

contacted the hotel , I had an appointment at a local spot ,but as I said it was closing on 8/1/—

the hotel said the same company is looking for a new location and asked when I would like an appointment—so I’m waiting  to hear back or will check in with hotel on Tuesday when we get there .otherwise it’s the internet 

 

my t/a says that ,she spoke to Seabourn, if there is a problem with the internet test, keep the results and they may do a test at the dock…

 

 

we are in Seabourn 619, give us a call when you can 

 

gary and sue 

 

 

Perfecto! Thanks for the Covid info. Will track you down for that cocktail. Knowing how things work we'll probably bump into each other at the hotel.😀 Safe travels.

18 hours ago, gary705 said:

High planes….

we too are arriving 4 days early and shipping luggage , hopefully it will get there 

 

Are you staying at the Grand ?   Let’s  have a drink …,we arrive tuesday night 

 

where are you doing your covid test, we had one booked at the blu raddison , just got notified it will close on 8/1/…..contacted the hotel and they are looking in to another location 

 

 

Drinks, of course! Yes we are at the Grand, but perhaps we can wait till we are onboard. Our schedule is a bit up in the air. 😉 

We have packed online Covid tests, but looking for physical back-up too. Let me know what you find.

Our bags were were picked up yesterday and enjoyed lunch at Chick Filet.  First time using smart tags. 🤣

Don't worry Terry you are not alone in the 'body parts not preforming as we would like' category.

With the Feds rate decision due tomorrow time to look at the crazy action in the 10yr.  If this head and shoulders pattern holds it forecasts 10yr at 2%.  I have a hard time believing that forecast, but it is staring me in the face. Ecb went 50bps instead of the expected 25bps last week. Cats sleeping with dogs. Gaps to be filled.🤯

At least Bitcoin is dropping. That always makes me happy.

1 hour ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Hi,

 

You will find that Singapore has as others have said - changed enormously over the last 25 years.  It is now extremely international and you'll see little difference from any city if you remain where most others that arrive stay.

 

We started visiting Singapore over  20 years ago on our way for a months stay every January / February in Sydney simply to have a place to walk in the UK winters. We then increasingly found that we so enjoyed the stopoversin Singapore  more than the destination that we eventually cut out the flights to Oz and made the trip Singapore.  We dumped Bankgok because I always got food poisoning! 

 

Until the virus we'd visitSuingapore between one and three times a year for three weeks or more each triplonger but mostly to emerse ourselves into the routine of day to day local life, hawker food and walks in Botanic. The locals are soo, so wonderful and have enriched our lives.   I'm also worryingly obsessed with idea that someone in the world is eating something I haven't eaten so I've tried to put that fear to bed by eating in as many places that locals eat that I can.  It's tough doing that without edgy travel.  I now realise that Anthony Bourdain is a half-brother.

 

You haven't said what you're looking for in your stay so consequently in that vacuum all of the above recommendations are all extremely sound and you will not be dissapointed with any of them I'm sure.  You will be comfortable and pampered. For example the food hall in the basement of Marina Bay is wonderful, but it is almost entitely "expensive" franchised food in very wonderful air-conditioned sublimeness.  If however you want to emerse yourself a little more into local life few of the hotels are optimum for that unless you genuinely will take the MRT (underground train) and busses to explore more.

 

I always feel a bit dissapointed for others who take all that trouble to travel to exotic places but do all they can to smooth out and avoid the local experience and edges so that they basically experience what they would experience if they stayed at home or travelled almost anywhere in the world except  that is for the change in the currencies and climate ( but smoothed our with aircon!) that makes those places so different.  I feel that what is the point of travel if you end up where you started.

 

If your aspirations for your four days are fairly easy going then you should - and I say this genuinely -  stick to the above. But perhaps you should spend a moment thinking about what is is you want and you should make sure make this a conscious decision rather than a default position.

 

I ramble but I always do.

 

Wifey #1 and I so so love and enjoy Singapore and those we encounter so much.  You can eat at hawker centers not restaurants (you can do all that pretend cusine on the ship) and you could avoid Singapore food halls, but instead talk to locals eat lunch with them and make unique memories.

 

Enjoy your stopeover and forgive my typos - but it is lunchtime.

 

Jeff

So perfectly said.  I worked there a lot in the 80's and 90's and was able to immerse in local culture and food. One favorite was a weekly food/cultural gathering for families of Indian decent.  A dozen mother and their daughters cooked their regional dishes. Just heaven.   During recent tourist visits I've succumbed to the quick and easy hits readily available with occasional exploring of neighborhoods. Next time I'm going to slow it down like we do for most of our travel. Thanks for the nudge.  Being an avid gardener, will probably return to MBS for the proximity to Gardens by the Bay.  Yes it is a bit Disney meets Botanic, 😉, but there is always the Botanic Gardens for the purist in me. Thanks UKJeff for dredging up memories from long ago.  Rambling right back atcha! 

We loved the Marina Bay Sands. So much at your fingertips. Yes there is a kitchy aspect and the area can be a bit busy with tourists but once you are in the hotel system all is wonderful. Architecture spot on. Breakfast near the pool fabulous, as are the other restaurants on the top level. We especially like the basement food mall. They recreated the famous outdoor food hawkers inside. A foodies delight.  The underground walkways also link to the big indoor shopping  mall if you're a shopper. The other bonus is a short stroll to Gardens by the Bay, museums, etc.  We like the Bay/Park view. Hop On bus can be caught just outside the hotel. A very different experience from the Ritz if you're in the mood.

A View of MBS from the city

Infinity pool does get crowded mid day with the selfie brigade. It can be entertaining to watch.

Room view

Room view 

Lobby

Last I read, submarine stays, helicopter gone.

20 hours ago, jsea said:

My “final documents” now list a 0545 departure from Oslo for charter flight with 0845 arrival to Longyearbyen. 😵

 

I am curious to find out what will be the actual departure time. All in due course…

All in due course.....exactly!

If it is a 5:45, perhaps the Fashion Police can chime in about wearing PJs, robe, and slippers on the flight.🤣

So far so good!  Bar code and boarding time showed up on the app!!!  

12 hours ago, gary705 said:

High plains drifter

Thanks for all of the info to find the flight info

we booked our own air and are on the 7;45 flight, would not have known if not for your guidance 

we booked this cruise while on Seabourn in Australia in 2019, never let your wife go to a lecture about a new ship alone, 

 

really looking forward to this , leaving 4 days early to stay in Oslo, 

 

gary and sue, Denver 

 

(high plains drifter, like the movie ? ),

You are so very welcome. I've gotten so much helpful info from the CC Intelligentsia, just trying to contribute. 

I understand there will be a QR code at some point available to expedite boarding. Not sure where, maybe the Seabourn app? Will let you know if I find it. 😀

We are also heading to Oslo 4 days ahead. Whether we get there 4 days ahead is another story.🤣  I'm really looking forward to exploring Oslo especially the ship museums. Sadly The Viking ship museum is closed. 

With the help of our Goddess TA, we have changed our flights twice, switched from AMS to LHR, building in larger connection cushions, booked a refundable backup LHR-OSL, and shipped our luggage.  Will see if that helps, or perhaps I have over obsessed.

We were in Oslo for one night in June. The airport was quite nice and efficient. Let's hope it still is. It will be interesting to see how Seabourn herds us on to the charter.

 In case you haven't found it yet, The Oslo Pass is a great app. So much info on it even if you don't buy the Oslo pass. 

Your wife sounds brilliant!  I too am prone to travel related shiny things.

I could never be as cool as Clint. 

See you onboard. I'll be the one in black.

Thanks for taking us along Sharkb8! Love the pics.

Thanks for the heads up. That was a fun time sink watching her leave on all the web cams.  

16 hours ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

@highplanesdrifters Terry is our much appreciated host here, go find another thread hosted by Warren Buffett please.

 

I reported you post.

@AmazedByCruisingI don't understand your post. You quoted @RetiredandTravel.  And besides, we all love Terry, and I believe everyone plays nice in this financial sandbox.

Ignore the above, except for the Thanking Terry part. Just read what popped up before while I was typing. No harm no foul.

Sorry for the Typo.   Everyone knows Terry is the youngest one here. 😃

On 7/18/2022 at 10:01 AM, RetiredandTravel said:

 

William Devane said buy gold that's all I needed to know, back up the truck

Sometimes I am as clueless as they come.  When I first read this I figured he was some money manager I was unfamiliar with.  Just googled him.  I'm dying!🤣

Thanks aging Terry for letting us play in your sandbox!

@RetiredandTravel"if I can find a biz class airfare that doesn't cost more than the cruise."

I hear ya, pricing up for a trip next year which starts in Fiji, ends in Broome, 10k plus. TA thinks she can get it down. 🤞

Our Monsoon season is off to a great start.  Wish I could send some across the pond.

3 hours ago, drron29 said:

I am surprised no one mentions the difference when the chefs change.

In our Explorer days we loved it when Pia was the chef and not too bad with the Australian grant. he lived in Thailand so i was able to get some nice spicy food..

I am sure it is not the ship that makes the food bland and flavourless but I suspect the chef has a big impact.

 

I am sorry Daveywavey70 that it seems we will never meet.

You are so right about the different Chefs.  We were lucky enough to have Pia on the Cloud in June. Best cruise food we have ever had. She and staff quickly learned our taste preferences and delivered amazing flavors.  A trip on the Muse last fall delivered the most mediocre food we have ever had at sea. 

7 hours ago, FauxNom said:

Found the answer to our collective question @highplanesdrifters

 

From the Silversea blog

 

Silver Endeavour will replace Silver Explorer for this winter’s Antarctic season, sailing all of its Antarctica cruises. Silver Explorer will resume operations for the upcoming 2023 Kimberley season as scheduled, subsequently sailing in the South Pacific before leaving the fleet in November 2023, when her charter agreement ends.

Thanks FN, I figured it was too good to hope for.

  Just watched a YouTube video of Endeavor from Crystal launch. Wowza what a ship! No wonder they went bankrupt.

23 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Strike settled!

 

https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2022-07-18-sas-og-piloter-lander-aftale

[use Google Chrome to translate]

Whew!

Here's a Reuters link.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/sas-pilots-plough-with-talks-monday-strike-enters-3rd-week-2022-07-18/

18 hours ago, gogo65 said:

We also have a flight Edinburgh to Tromso on SAS for our NW passage, might do the same and book a refundable flight on Norwegian.

My back up plan would be see if we could jump on the Ponant charter from Paris.

I’ve heard that the European flights are still going that they haven’t cancelled all flights, is this correct?

My TA tells me that it still a minefield out there as far as EU flights are concerned.  It did hear the same about Finnair that @AussieBoyTXmentioned. I'm glad that we are on a charter from Oslo to Longyearben. Just read a story about all the people stuck there, or can't get in due to the SAS strike. 

Perhaps there is hope for us.

https://www.thelocal.dk/20220717/signs-of-imminent-agreement-as-scandinavian-airline-sas-and-pilots-negotiate-overnight-analyst/

Btw, great little museum in Tromso, The Polar Museum. It's a bit like an attic full of all kinds of historical artifacts including Admundsens skis.   Especially fun if you are doing the NW passage.

@Stickman1990Thanks for posting that letter.  We are on Explorer in May 2023.  I wonder if they will replace the rest of Explorer trips with Endeavour.

3 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

Gold & Bitcoin are inflation hedges

Or so the Bitcoin ads tell everyone.😃  in the last year Bitcoin price cut by 2/3s, Inflation at historic highs......hmmmmm....guess we won't see that in the Superbowl ads. Plus, it's  equity correlated now. Gee, can you tell I'm not a Crypto fan. 

We'll  see what the BOJ and ECB do with rates this Thursday. Cruise lines that locked in their debt servicing earlier are looking pretty good. 

Tell her to melt now and you'll buy her some new stuff when it falls off the cliff. If it doesn't.....well...... there are always CZs and Vermeil. 😂😂😂

The Truffle Hunters- A truly wonderful and visually stunning film .

Unfortunately you don't get a handful of truffles after watching it.

https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/thetrufflehunters